Evelyn praises Teries’ unfailing generosity ahead of Christmas

The Hawick branch of the Salvation Army is gearing up for the festive period with an appeal for Teries to continue with their unfailing generosity.

Last year, the charity gave out more than 100 food and toy parcels during the run-up to Christmas Day and although it’s too early to gauge this year’s demand, organiser Evelyn Sangster told the Hawick News: “We are still giving food parcels out on a daily basis and it fluctuates week to week. At this moment it is impossible to tell what the Christmas demand will be.”

The Salvation Army is set to hold a Toy Service in the next few weeks and collected items will be handed out to families with children. Mrs Sangster added: “People in Hawick are always very generous but never more so than during the run-up to Christmas. We are still dealing with government sanctions which can often place families in impossible positions and this is a particularly hard time of the year. We were very busy last year with an unprecedented demand for food parcels.”

“We have had a lot of donations in the past few weeks following various Harvest Festivals and these have come not just from churches but from schools and the Boys’ Brigade.”

Townsfolk wishing to donate food parcels or toys can do so at the Salvation Army Citadel at 8 Croft Road or they can be handed into the Hawick News office, 4 Towerdykeside.

The Salvation Army is holding a sale of work in the Citadel in Croft Road on Saturday, November 22. This will include cake and candy, jams, knitting and bric-a-brac. The event will be opened by Hawick and Denholm councillor Watson McAteer.